oey Barton is poised to join Marseille on a season-long loan as QPR line up a deal for Jose Bosingwa. Barton is suspended for 12 games in England after his dismissal against Manchester City at the end of last season and QPR have handed his squad number 17 to new signing Ryan Nelsen. The 29-year-old Barton has been training with Fleetwood Town and was wanted on loan by Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday. However, the midfielder is heading to France in a move that will circumnavigate his ban here and may lead to a permanent transfer. Marseille centre back Stephane Mâbia, 26, will be going the other way. Barton perhaps teasingly wished his Twitter followers "Bonne nuit" - French for 'good night'. He also took to Twitter to express surprise regarding the loss of his squad number. Heard my shirt numbers gone to someone else. News to me...' he wrote. 'Just come off the golf course so only just heard. A call would of [sic] been nice. Ah, well life goes on...' Manager Mark Hughes is continuing to strengthen his squad though and has moved for former Chelsea defender Bosingwa, 29, who has been courted by some of Europe's elite this summer. Inter Milan, Anzhi Makhachkala and Monaco all made offers but the Portugal international has chosen to stay in London.
